I have noticed this on other forums that deal with EDC stuff. Some folks go on shopping sprees buying knives, packs, flashlights, and other "cooool" stuff. A while later they feel tired of carrying all that dead weight in their bags (Everyday ... while almost nothing happens and thopse gadgets never needed). That is when they shift to a "minimalist " state, EDCing only a very few items. Then a new wave of "coool " stuff emerges in the market and they start drooling , and finally succumb to the pressure and go back to buying frenzy. OK, Honestly , have you experienced something like this ?? I'll start . My approach for a long time was to EDC a few items, relying heavily on multiple stashes nearby wherever I go (car, office, parents house ..etc.) . That has kept me from being tired of crrying it. I only EDC my work bag which is mostly for work stuff like papers and menmeory sticks and CDs. Other emergency related items are put in a front pocket and their weight is nothing compared to the work stuff. The heaviest items is a small multitool which has all three essentials ( led light, pliers, and 2 inch knife ) . Separate small flashlight, whistle, and alcohol wipes and bandaids ..etc. are almost unnoticeable. So, so far I haven't felt tired carrying this stuff and my purchases are moderate anyway. So, I can cliam that I havent gone into a EDCer mood swing... I think .
Yes, EDC = Every Day Carry It is the stuff you carry with you every day, the bag, knife, multitool, ..etc. And for some people it has been something like trying to lose weight. They think they are too fat. They start a diet, lose weight, allow themselves to eat a bit more and thenm may end up just where they have begun. We all believe in being prepared but for some , buying stuff has become , kinda sorta , a hobby . More knives, more flashlights ..etc. Then at some point they stop for a moment and ask themslevs : Do I REALLY need all this. They slow down tehri shopping or stop intirely, but a few weeks or months later, they fall again into the habbit or addiction.
Don't forget about the one under "Comments / Suggestions": http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f45/faq-standard-acronyms-2285/
I have my EDC supplies - some consumables and some static-items. In my wallet I carry a SwissCard - kind of like a Swiss Army knife but about the same size as a credit-card. It has tweezers, pin, pen, scissors, knife - very usefull. On my belt I carry one of several knives - today I have a dress-knife with me made by Kershaw. I freshen my lunch-bag daily with water and food, but, in the bag I have two different multi-tools, nail-clippers and pain-killers. At work I have a lunch-box that is 26" wide by 10 deep and 13" tall (showed pictures of it in another thread) that has my dry-goods in it, ready to eat or ready to cook. I only dip into my lunch-box when my fresh-food has all been eaten and I am still hungry. In my Jeep I have tools ready to use (including flashlights, knives, wrenches, fuses, power-testers) ... so, my vehicle is an extension of my EDC.
At work we are not alloowed to carry pocket knives (don't ask) but I usually have a small 3 blade Case folder in my pocket anyway. When not at work I always carry one of 2 Leatherman tools. My preference is for the Leatherman PST II because it's the smaller of the two but still has all the essentials. I usually keep a flashlight in the truck, as well as a hatchet and a small tool box. But to get back to the point of the thread, I never leave home without my cell phone, either.
